Massive power outage strikes Spain, Portugal, and France
Millions are affected as European grid failure disrupts daily life leaving airports, hospitals, and metro systems paralysed.
Image for illustration purposes
Spain / Portugal / France: On 28 April 2025, a widespread power outage struck Spain, Portugal, and parts of France, leaving millions without electricity and disrupting daily life across the Iberian Peninsula. The blackout began around 12:30 p.m. local time, when electricity demand in Spain dropped dramatically from 27,500 MW to approximately 15,000 MW, according to Red Eléctrica, Spain’s national grid operator. The outage affected major cities, including Madrid, Barcelona, and Lisbon, leading to the closure of airports such as Madrid-Barajas and Lisbon Humberto Delgado. Public transportation systems were also impacted, with metro trains halted and passengers stranded. Hospitals, including Madrid’s La Paz and several medical facilities in Portugal, were forced to cancel surgeries due to power loss.
Telecommunications networks were disrupted, leaving residents without access to mobile services. In response, authorities advised citizens to reserve emergency numbers for genuine crises to prevent overloading communication lines.
The cause of the outage remains under investigation. Preliminary reports suggest that a fire in the Alaric Mountain region of France, which damaged a high-voltage power line between Perpignan and Narbonne, may have contributed to the incident.
By the afternoon, Red Eléctrica reported that power restoration efforts were underway, with electricity gradually being restored in the northern and southern regions of Spain.
Source: Euro News
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